Dear in Christ Brothers and Sisters,

Christ is Risen!

Heartfelt congratulations with the feast of the Resurrection of the Lord, as well as with the final Sunday of the Paschal season!

Last evening during the All-Night Vigil, the 8th Resurrectional Gospel (John 20: 11-18) was read, in which we heard how Mary Magdalene returned to the cave alone and lamented before the open and empty tomb the dead Christ. While she mourned, she looked into the tomb and saw two angels sitting on that place where earlier the body of the Saviour had been laid. The heavenly messengers questioned Mary as to why she was crying. She answered that someone had removed the body of Jesus and she had no idea where they had placed it. At that moment, Jesus Christ came up to the tomb and asked Mary the same question that the angels had asked. She did not recognize Him and thinking that the gardener was standing before her who had moved the body of Jesus, offered to take away the body of Christ and to bury Him once again. The Lord did not react to these words, but only said her name, “Mary.” That instant she recognized her beloved Teacher and ran towards Him, but Christ stopped her. He told her not to touch Him, but instead to go and preach to the apostles that He would soon ascend to heaven. Mary left the tomb and told the disciples of seeing the Lord and of His words to her.

As is the case with all the Resurrectional Gospel readings, yesterday’s reading is very interesting and deep. We could spend all day discussing the words read last evening, but today, let’s focus our attention only on Mary Magdalene and on her reaction to the angels and to our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. For us the narrative of yesterday’s Gospel reading may appear somewhat strange. We can probably agree that that an open and empty tomb with beautiful young men dressed in white garments sitting inside is not an everyday sight. It is clear that there is something unusual and divine transpiring, but it seems that Mary does not notice any of this. She is completely overcome by grief, cannot see the obvious, and understands those things going on around her in her own way. Her mind is absorbed fully by the thought that her beloved teacher is dead, buried, and stolen. Beyond this she sees nothing. She thinks of nothing else and therefore recognizes neither the angels, nor Jesus Christ Himself. Only the personal appeal of the Saviour to Mary frees her from her false ideas and gives her the ability to see the situation the way it truly is.

It sometimes happens that we are so preoccupied with our own ideas or understandings that we are unable to see the obvious. We are obsessed with a certain thing and do not see that God has sent us His angels. We ask Him for earthly things while He stands before us and offers heavenly things. Mary Magdalene was seeking the dead body of Jesus while the risen, living Lord Himself was standing before her. Today, on this final Sunday of Easter, a few days before the feast of the Ascension, let’s fervently pray to our risen and ascended Lord that He never abandon us. Let’s pray that He always stands beside us, as He stood beside Mary Magdalene, so that we do not drown in our own ideas which can distract us from Him, and that He opens to us the truth which leads to heaven.

priest Alexis